Anjaw (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], December 25 : Arunachal Pradesh is all set to welcome the New Year 2026 from its easternmost tip with the launch of the Sunrise Festival 2025-26, an extraordinary adventure-led cultural and tourism celebration to be held at Dong village, the first place in the country to witness sunrise.
The five-day festival marks a landmark initiative to position Arunachal Pradesh as a global destination for nature, culture, adventure, heritage, and New Year celebrations led by the sun.
Nestled in the remote Anjaw district at the tri-junction of India, China, and Myanmar, Dong holds immense geographical, cultural, and strategic significance.
Home to the indigenous Meyor tribe, a small, indigenous community of Arunachal Pradesh known for its simplicity and connection to nature, the Dong valley symbolises India's first dawn at the easternmost corner -both literally and metaphorically.
The Sunrise Festival celebrates this unique identity by inviting the world to experience the first rays of the sun as they touch the Indian soil.
The Sunrise Festival 2025-26 is envisioned as a vibrant convergence of communities, artists, explorers, scholars, and travellers from across India and around the world, celebrating new beginnings from the land where the day begins for the nation.
The core vision of the festival is to create a community-led, experience-driven destination festival guided by India's first Sunrise.
The celebration, as designed, is touted to be one of the most offbeat New Year celebrations in India. With its 'NoTrash, NoTrace, No Excuses', as the Sun commitment, the festival adheres to creating a sustainable experience of adventures right from the journey to Dong to living the moment, watching the sunrise to activities and live performances.
The festival with a wide array of immersive programmes, includes the indigenous Sunrise Ceremonies welcoming the first light of each day, cultural performances by diverse communities of Arunachal Pradesh, adventure experiences such as guided treks, sunrise trails, nature walks, river activities, and eco-camping, traditional art, craft, food, and cultural showcases, engagement initiatives, including workshops, folk-art, craft, plein-art and storytelling sessions, photography expedition, village tours, artisan stalls, and many more with a special New Year celebration and Sunrise Pledge Ceremony on First January 2026, marking the first sunrise of the New Year in India.
Announcing the festival, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that the sunrise festival will begin from December 29. It will end on January 2, 2026.
"Dong village in Anjaw district, where India witnesses its first sunrise, is set to host the state's first-ever Sunrise Festival from December 29 to January 2, 2026. This celebration highlights Dong's unique distinction as the easternmost point of India, where the first rays of the sun fall on Indian soil. The festival will offer visitors a rare blend of nature, culture, and adventure, while showcasing the rich heritage of our indigenous communities," said CM Khandu.
The Chief Minister further emphasised that the festival aims to promote sustainable and responsible tourism, create new livelihood opportunities for local communities, and establish Dong as a landmark of India's geographical and cultural identity on the global tourism map.
With its compelling mix of adventure tourism, cultural immersion, academic dialogue, and New Year festivities, the Sunrise Festival is poised to become a signature international event for Northeast India.
It reflects India's commitment to celebrating its cultural diversity, strengthening cultural diplomacy, and promoting eco-tourism while preserving indigenous traditions.